Clasp



' (No Model.)

C. C. SHELBY.

I CLASP. No. 340,881. Patented Apr. Z7, 1886.

N. PETERS. PhnxmLiuwgnpncr. wdnhingmn. 0,0

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER C. SHELBY, OF PATERSON, NEV JERSEY.

CLASP.

VSPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,831, dated April 27, 1886.

Application filed February 24, 1886. Serial No. 193.055. (No model.)

To @ZZ when@ it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER C. SHEL- BY, of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings7 forming part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon. v

My invention relates to clasps adapted for use in connection with that class of stocking supporters which consist of pieces of webbing secured to a belt or t-he waistband of a garment, and provided with clasps on theirlower ends for connecting with the stocking of the wearer; and it consists in a certain improved construction, which I will now proceed to describe.

In the drawings, Figure lis a view showing myimproved clasp open applied to a stockingsupporter. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing it fastened to a stocking. Fig. 3 isa sectional view on the line .fr fr; Fig. L., a similar view on thcline {1/ 1/ of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 a view of a modification.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

A represents the depending webbing 0f the stockiiig-supporter, and B the stocking to be attached thereto.

C represents the clasp, consisting of the baseplate I), having the transverse slot d at its forward end and the ears and projecting teeth d at its other end, and it is further provided with a central longitudinal slot, D, extending nearly its entire length, and terminating at the forward end in an enlarged recess, D.

E is a locking-plate, having the slot e therein extending from the rear end forward and terminating a short distance from the end, the ends of the two arms thus formed being pivoted to the base-plate l) about midway of its length by heilig narrowed and bent around bars di', formed by making two small perforations in the plate on either side of the central lengt.

tudinal slot, D.

At its forward end the plate E is provided with a button or projection, F, slightly smaller than the recess D?, adapted, when the plate is Vswung down, to project through said recess;

or this projection may be made integral with the plate, as shown in Fig. 5.

G- is a button or slide, having the enlarged ends and narrow shank placed in the slots in the base andlocking plates, and adapted when moved forward, by reason 0f the broad ends, to press the locking-plate down upon the baseplate and the button on the former through the recess D2, as will be readily understood. "When the button G is moved to the rear end of the slot, the plateE can be swung up on its pivots to the position shown in Fig. l.

rlhe clasp thus described is attached to the webbing of the supporter in the following manner, and to the stocking in a manner to be described further on: The webbing is inserted through the slot d in the forward end of the base-plate from the upper side and then pulledy through to the rear end of the plate, where it and the main portion of the webbing are secured together and to the plate by the teeth on the plate and the ears d', which are bent down upon them. By this means the under Side of the plate is prevented from coming in contact with the garments of the wearer and the liability of their becoming soiled lessened.

Vhen the stocking is to be secured to the supporter, the locking-plate E is swung up to the position shown in Fig. l, (the button G being moved to the rear of the slot for this purpose,) and the fabric placed upon the baseplate over the recess Dl therein. llhe plate E is now brought down, the projection F forcing the fabric through the recess in the plate and causing it to bite on the edges of the recess and the button, as shown in Fig. Then the slide G- is moved forwardin the slot, securely clamping the two'plates and the fabric be tween them in position. \Vhere it is desired to remove the fabric, the slide is moved back, the locking plate swung up, and it is withdrawn.

The advantages of my improved clasp over others of its class are obvious.

The whole device is very simple, consisting of only three pieces,whieh are simple in thenr selves and can be cheaply made, being stamped out of sheet metal and readily put together by an unskilled workman. The fabric is secured tightly to the clasp, not by spring-pressure and teeth projecting into it, but by a bight around a smooth surface; and, further, the

Wearers clothing is prevented by the webbing from Contact 'with the metal, which otherwise would soil them.

Vhile l have described my improved clasp as applied to stocking-supporters, it is obvious that it is adapted to all uses to which clasps are ordinarily applied.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with the base plate adapted to be secured to the webbing and having the longitudinal slot and the recess near one end thereof, of the locking-plate pivoted to the base-plate'and having a longitudinal slot corresponding to that in the base plate, and the stud or button at its end adapted to cooperate Witli the recess in the base-plate and secure the fabric, and the slide or button adapted to slide in the slots in the base and locking plates and hold the two plates rmly together, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the webbing A, the baseplate having the transverse slot at its forward end and the ears or teeth at its rear end for securing the end of the webbing to the body of the latter and to the plate, and having also the longitudinal slot and recess, of the pivoted locking plate having the button or projection and the slide for securing the two plates together when the latter is swung down substantially as described.

CHRISTOPHER C. SHELBY.

Vit-nesscs:

S. VAN ZANDT, WM. C. SHELBY. 

